Proposing a Statement of Environmental Values for the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing

Proposal details

MMAH is proposing to introduce an updated SEV. In doing so, the proposed individual SEVs of the former Ministry of Municipal Affairs and the former Ministry of Housing would be replaced with a new SEV reflecting the present structure of the ministry.

The Environmental Bill of Rights, 1993 (EBR) is unique legislation and an important tool in environmental protection. It establishes mechanisms to ensure the public is informed, engaged and consulted on matters of environmental significance, as well as to provide for government accountability in environmental decision-making. The EBR requires that each ministry prescribed under the act develop and publish a SEV specific to the work of that ministry. A SEV is a ministry’s statement of environmental principles and a guidance document directing the minister and ministry staff as they make decisions regarding policies, acts, regulations and instruments that might affect the environment.

The EBR requires that the SEV explain:

• how the purposes of the act are to be applied when decisions that might significantly affect the environment are made in the ministry; and
• how consideration of the purposes of the act should be integrated with other considerations, including social, economic and scientific considerations, that are part of decision-making in the ministry.

On April 1, 2019, the regulation under the EBR was amended to reflect the replacement of the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and the Ministry of Housing with Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. The ministry is proposing a SEV to:

• Meet the requirement that ministries subject to the EBR prepare a SEV;
• Reflect changes in the ministry structure and mandate;
• Affirm the important role of Indigenous peoples’ participation in ministry decision-making;
• Acknowledge the priority of addressing a changing climate;
• Reflect the government’s A Made in Ontario Environment Plan; and
• Ensure that the language used in the SEV is consistent with the language used in the EBR.